What Is the Universal Statuary Corporation of Chicago?

The Universal Statuary Corporation was a statue manufacturer founded in the 1930s by Chicagoans Jack and Leo Lucchesi. The company specialized in items such as piggy banks and plaques and moved on to making statue figures in the 1950s.

The Lucchesi family was known for employing immigrants to craft its products, as well as its large store displays of Indian figures. The family owned the company until the 1980s, when it was sold to James Dorman, who moved its headquarters to Milwaukee. B. Paul Brueggemeier bought the company in 1996 but later vacated his factory to make way for townhouse developers. Many online auction sites feature Universal Statuary items, but they are not reputed for high dollar values.